Review: The Queen of Days by Greta Kelly
“Of all the times I’d been arrested, this was the only time I’d gotten pinched on purpose.”
The Basics
Title: The Queen of Days
Author: Greta Kelly
Published: 2023
Note: I received an ARC from Wunderkind PR in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher: Harper Voyager – HarperCollins
Pages: 371
Format: Paperback
Genres: Fiction — Fantasy, Young adult, High fantasy, Young adult fantasy
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Book Synopsis
Once counted among the social elite, Balthazar Vadalen is now the leader of the Talion, a ragtag crew of thieves that preys upon the members of his former class. It is not the life that he wants for himself or his sister, but it is the one that has been thrust upon him. A returning client, however, offers him a way out in the form of a risky but high-paying job. The task? Steal a religious idol during its consecration ceremony. The reward? Money beyond his wildest dreams. The trouble is, there’s a catch. Not only will the ceremony be attended by hundreds, if not thousands, of people, making the heist and subsequent escape exceedingly difficult, but his client is insisting that the mysterious Queen of Days joins his crew for the job. The Queen of Days, however, does not work for free, and the price she demands is always steep – steeper than most are willing to believe. There’s also one other, not-so-small matter: Balthazar’s client has withheld crucial information about the idol they will be snatching…And as the Talion will soon discover, they are about to be in way over their heads.
My Review & Overall Thoughts
TLDR: A disappointing read plagued by pacing issues, uncompelling characters, and an underwhelming plot.
The extent to which I enjoy a book has always had an inverse relationship with how long it takes me to read it: the more I like a book, the fewer days it sits upon my nightstand. By the time I turned its final page, The Queen of Days had become a veritable fixture in my room, perched next to my bed for over a month. Reading this book was an exercise in willpower, and had I not been reviewing it, I would have shelved it after the first few chapters. From an uncaptivating plot to underdeveloped characters and pacing issues, The Queen of Days leaves a lot to be desired.
Its greatest flaw is that too much happens too soon, and little is left to the imagination. By the end of the second chapter, all of the major characters have been introduced, and most of their backstories have been revealed, stripping away any sense of intrigue from them. Moreover, we see Bal meet the Queen of Days and subsequently escape from jail with her and Kai. The author even manages to squeeze in a minor steamy scene between Bal and another character within those first 37 pages. By the time I started the third chapter, I felt as though I were developing whiplash, and although I wish I could say that the pacing improved thereafter, it did not. The entire book has a rushed feeling to it, with situations resolving themselves too quickly and information being given too freely.
The plot itself is also not that novel or compelling. It features a number of tropes and elements common throughout young adult fantasy: a band of misfits with a morally grey leader, found family, a high-stakes heist, gods and demi-gods, and of course, gratuitous sarcasm. The story feels like an echo of other books that I have read, and consequently, it failed to ever capture my attention.
The characters, much like the plot, are largely unremarkable. With the exception of the Queen of Days, they are not that interesting and feel rather flat. Their backstories are scant, and they do not experience much growth over the course of the book. As for the story’s protagonist, Bal, he is too reminiscent of other, more well-known fantasy characters.
Lastly, the setting is not particularly memorable, and the world building is lacking. The story primarily takes place on the island city of Cothis, which lies within the Kingdom of Ashaar. Beyond Cothis, Ashaar is a bit of a black box. Similarly, we get a glimpse into the Nethersphere, but beyond this sliver, the rest is unknown. Perhaps this limited world exploration is an indication that the author intends to write a sequel that ventures into these untraversed areas (I am trying to give her the benefit of the doubt).
The good
Tassiel, or the Queen of Days, is a laudable character. With her face obscured by a silver mask, she is forever shrouded in mystery. We might uncover her motives and personal history, but that most basic part of her – her physical appearance – is always kept at arm’s length, forever out of our reach. This inability to ever fully know her makes her a memorable and intriguing character. Plus, unlike the other characters, she evolves over the course of the book, making her feel rounded and fleshed out.
Further enforcing Tassiel’s enigmatic image is the narrative style. The book features a dual point of view (Bal and Tassiel), but whereas Bal’s chapters are written in the first person, Tassiel’s are in the third person. Thus, even the very writing conveys the notion that Tassiel is never to be fully understood; parts of her will always remain hidden from us.
The book’s magic system is also noteworthy. Instead of drawing on natural sources or some internal reservoir of power, magic is based on time. To cast a spell, one must feed the magic time – typically someone else’s. You see, in the world of The Queen of Days, time is a commodity, and everyone enters the world with a predetermined amount of it. Time can be lived or given to a magical being, such as Tassiel, to cast spells. It is an interesting way to conceptualize magic.
Lastly, I appreciate that the book does not end on a cliffhanger. It certainly leaves the door open for a sequel, but all of the pressing matters are resolved.
Overall
Put simply, The Queen of Days is not my cup of tea. While it has some redeeming qualities, those alone cannot make up for its many shortcomings.
Have you read or are planning on reading The Queen of Days? If so, let me know in the comments section below!
